Storage apparatus.



T. G. KENNEDY.

STORAGE APPARATUS. APPLIOATION rum) JA1I.31, 1907.

92,300. Patented Oct. 2?, 1908.

5 J I m army v UNITED STATES arnivr OFFICE},

THOMAS C. KENNEDY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOFAIRBANKfiMORSE &COMPANY, I

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.-

STORAGE APPARATUS.

Specification of LettersPatent.

- Patented Oct. 27, 1908 Application filed January 31, 14 107. SerialNo, 355,068.

To all whom it may concern:

P e it known that I, THoMAs G. KENNEDY, a citizen of the United-States,' residing at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Storage Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to storage apparatus or a System for the handlingof coal, iron ore and the like and for depositing of the same into astorage space or pockets and the object of my invention is to providenovel and reliable apparatus of this character for the more advantageousand eflicient handling and depositing of said materials.

In the drawing'Figure 1 is :a plan View of my improved storage system;Fig. 2 an end elevation thereof; Fig. 3 an end elevation of the movablestructure or bridge; and Fig. 4 a detail view of the constructionwhen-pockets are employed either alone'or in connection with the storagearea.

My improved storage apparatus or system comprises essentially abridgemovable over the storage area or pockets and. provided with what Iwill termbridge tracks which are adapted to cooperate with stationarytracks at the sides of the storage area and cooperate also with a cabledevice for positively drawingthe cars' along the stationary tracksand-alsoacross the bridge in opposite directions, the construction andarrangement of my apparatus being, such that the car eventually leavesthesame end of the bridge that it originally entered, regardless of theposition of the bridge relative to the storage area.

Now referring to my apparatus 111 detail and referring to the presentembodiment .thereof illustrated in the drawing, the same jCOIIlPIISQS apair of stationary tracks 1, 1 extending longitudinally on oppositesides of a storage space or area which is herein indicated by thereference letter A. These tracks-may if desired be elevated asillustrated in Fig. 2 or may be at or pear the but-I will now proceed todescribe my "vention in connection with the structure ground in theevent that the storage space is below the ground level or in casepockets are employed adjacent such stationary tracks,

herein disclosed.- Each pair of stationary tracksis continuous, the samebeing provided w1th loo s 1- at each end. With the innermost trac rs ofeach pair of the stationary tracks 1 bridge tracks-2 are adapted tocooperate. These bridge tracks are carried upon a movable structure orbridge 3 extending transversely of the storage area and running uponsuitable tracks at either side of the storage area, the bridge structurein thepresent instance having depending portions terminating in rollersor wheels 4 adapted to travel on said tracks orrails. It will beunderstood that this bridge structure is adapted to bemovedlongitudinally of the storage area in any suitable manner and by anysuitable power. The bridge tracks 2' are curved at their ends so as toalwaysconnect with the innermost tracks of the pairs of stationarytracks in whatever position the bridge may be in respect to the storagearea and the stationary tracks.

It will be understood that the cars indicated by 5 may be loaded at anydesired point but in the present instance I have shown the loading pointin a more or less diagrammatic manner at 6 which is at one end of theright-hand stationary tracks ig. 1) although such cars may be loaded atother points on the stationary tracks.

These cars are adapted to be drawn by power and in a positive mannerat'airepoints in their course and to this end I employ a continuouscable 7 which follows the stationary tracks (excepting immediatelyadjacent the bridge) and also the e tracks, the same running in oppositedirections over the bridge. The cars are adapted to be gripped to thecable in any suitable and well known manner and remain grip ed theretoat all times except of course at t e point in the length of the cablewhere the same'runs to the driving mechanism as in' any 'c'able system.

Referring to Fig. 1 and assuming that a ear has been loaded at the point6,-the same is caused to move along the innermost track. 1 on theright-hand side of the storage area and will continue thereon until itreaches the curved end of the uppermost bridge track which switches itover-upon the bridge 7 where the car may be dumped of its material whichwill fall in the storage space below. The car remains attached to itscable and runs off the bridge onto the innermost stationary track ofthe'left-hand pair of tracks (Fig. 1) around the uppermost loop 1.,along the outermost stationary track 1,

around the lowermost loop 1, then on to the innermost stationary track,across the bridge on the lowermost bridge track and thence back again tothe point of loading by passing around the lowermost loop 1 of theright-hand pair of stationary tracks and the outermost stationary trackon the right-hand side. It is thus apparent that the cars remainattached to their cable practically throughout the entire circuit oftracks in whatever position the bridge may be located tion with theframework or structure 8 which supports said stationary tracks. Suchconstruction'and arrangement of poeket-s'are shown in Fig. 4 in whichthe pockets are-indicated at 9. When my apparatus or:

system isemployed simply for the purpose of filling the pockets the carstraverse the tracks, including the brid e tracks, in the c mannerhereinbefore described and the operationis the same with theexceptionthat the cars are dumped while on the stationary tracks instead of onthe bridge Itracks. Moreover, my construction obviates the neeessity ofa cross or connecting structure at i one or both ends of the stationarytracks,

, inasmuch as my bridge, in cooperation with the bridge tracks, iscapable of performing all functions of such end structures besidesperformmg its mam function of bringlng the cars to the desired point fordumping purposes and for returning them to the loading point.

I claim: v

1. In a storage apparatus, the combination of a pair of parallelstationary tracks arranged on one side of the storage area and connectedby loops formed at their opposite ends and located at two ad acentcorners of said storage area, a bridge movable longitudinally of saidtracks, and a pair of parallel tracks on said bridge connecting with oneof the stationary tracks in all positions of. the bridge and arranged topermit cars to I traverse said bridge and 'to enter and leave 7 i at thesame end thereof.

2. In a storage apparatus, the combination of two pairs of stationarytracks arranged on opposite sides of the storage area,

'a bridge movable longitudinally of said.

tracks, a pair of parallel tracks on said bridge connecting with one ofthe stationary tracks in all positions of the bridge and arranged topermit cars to traverse said bridge and to enter and leave at the sameend thereof, and an endless cable along said stationary tracks and thebridge tracks arranged to draw cars therealong, the members of each pairof stationary tracks being connected by end loops and such pairs oftracks being unconnected except through the medium of 'the bridgetracks.

3. In a storage apparatus, the combina tion of a pair of stationaryparallel tracks connected by end loops, a bridge movable longitudinallyof said tracks, and a pair of parallel tracks on said bridge bothconnecting by curved portions with one of the tionary tracks in allpositions of the bridge and arranged to permit cars to traverse saidbridge in opposite directions and to enter and leave at the same endthereof. 5 a 4. In a storage apparatus, the eon'ibination of two pairsof stationary pafallel tracks arranged at opposite sides of asterageareaor the like, a bridge movable longitudinally of said tracks, and apair of tracks on said bridge both curved at their opposite ends toconnect with the innermost member of each" pair of stationary tracks,the tracks of each pair of stationary tracks being connected by endloops and the twopairs of such tracks being connected by the bridgetracks for the travel of cars in opposite directions across said bridgeso that the cars enter and leave the bridge at the same end.

5. In a storage apparatus, the combination of two pairs of stationaryparallel tracks arranged at opposite sides of a storage area or thelike, a bridge movable longitudinally of said tracks, a pair of tracksvon said bridge both curved at their opymsite ends to connect with theinnermost member enter and leave the bridge at the same end,

and a cable along the pairs of stationaiy tracks and the bridge tracksto positively draw cars therealong.

' a THOMAS. C. KENNL) i.

Witnesses 2' Boer. ELDER,

W. T. Kmusen,

